Train (military)

Train ; - -
	; ; Bundeswehr train
active	1956 to the present
Country	Germany
Armed forces	armed forces
Subordinate troops	group
Strength	about 40
Insinuation	Company or battery
commander
Platoon leader	Lt to Hptm ; serving. Portepee Uffz;

In the military field, the train is the name for a unit of twelve to sixty soldiers . As a part of a training company , the number of staff can also exceed 100 people. The train usually consists of two to eight groups , squads , operations or crews . In most branches of the armed forces , the platoon is part of a company or battery , but can also be independent in the special forces.

Naming

The English name for a train is platoon , the French expression peloton , also section . Historically, there were pelotons in various armies in the German-speaking area.

armed forces

In the Bundeswehr, a distinction is made between training and deployment trains in terms of train strength.

Depending on the type of service, the train sub-unit is also called a swarm or chain (air force / army aviator) or a lecture hall (at Bundeswehr schools). In the Bundeswehr Operations Service of the Air Force, there is Remote Technical features .

In general, the train is divided into a platoon (for command support ) and several groups. The strength of a B3 fighter platoon of the Bundeswehr's territorial army in 1985 is described here as an example:

Structure of a hunter train B3 TerrH (1985) acc. STAN (obsolete)

Train structure hunter troop (Bundeswehr)

Platoon Headquarters ( thickness : 1/1/8/ 10 )
- Platoon leader (officer captain (A 11) or experienced non-commissioned officer with p. )
- Jägerfeldwebel (Deputy Platoon Leader)
- 2 hunters (telescopic shooters, G3 assault rifle with telescopic sight )
- 2 drivers
- 2 radio operators
- 2 hunters (often with special tasks e.g. anti-tank weapons)

3 groups per 0/1/9/ 10
- 1 hunter NCO and squad leader
- 6 hunters (machine gunner, bazooka, rifle shooter)
- 2 hunters (telescopic shooters, G3 assault rifle with telescopic sight)
- 1 military driver - with additional functions

Another soldier can be assigned to the group as a military driver.

Thus there is a total strength according to STAN of 1/4/35/40

The hunters of a group also have a partially extended training as machine gunner as well as airspace observer and soldier in the anti-aircraft squad, Pzfst rifleman in the tank destruction squad and NBC defense soldier. The driver is also trained as a helper in the medical service, today first responder , and serves as the reporter and security officer of the group leader.

The Jägerfeldwebel (deputy platoon leader) - the name varies depending on the type of service - is essentially responsible for the connection to the higher management level, the company. He supplies the train with ammunition, water and food as well as all other supplies. In addition, if necessary, he leads the cover group for immediate fire support with machine weapons (machine guns and bazookas). When marching and attacking, he follows the train and ensures that all soldiers are properly connected to the platoon leader.

Sub-units in different languages and armies
Description & symbol		armed forces			English	French	Russian	Polish
basically	as a sub-unit	designation	structure	leader	English	French	Russian	Polish
● single point	single point over a lying rectangle / (example)	Troop gun operation / tank crew	2-7 men	Sergeant ⇒ Corporal	Team (e.g. fire team)	Equipe de combat	Команда (Komanda)	Załoga
● ● two points	two points over a lying rectangle / (example)	* Group * half move	* 8–12 men * 2 tank crews	Oberfeldwebel ⇒ NCO	Squad	Groupe de combat	Отделе́ние (group) экипаж (crew) расчёт (operating team)	Drużyna
● ● two points	two points over a lying rectangle / (example)	Rotte	2 aircraft	Oberfeldwebel ⇒ NCO	Two-ship flight / pair	NN	Пара (Para)	NN
● ● ● three points	three points over a lying rectangle / (example)	* Train * lecture hall	about 40 men	Captain ⇒ Sergeant	* Platoon * Lecture hall	Section , peloton	* Взвод (Vswod) * Учебная группа (Uchebnaja gruppa)	Pluton
● ● ● three points	three points over a lying rectangle / (example)	Swarm / chain	3–4 aircraft	Captain ⇒ Sergeant	NN	NN	Звено (chain, tactical unit)	Klucz

annotation: Heer (Army) also across TSK; Luftwaffe (Air Force)

Other countries

Austrian Armed Forces,
train in formation

The platoon leader in the Swiss Army is usually a lieutenant or first lieutenant , and if necessary a superintendent as deputy . In the Austrian Armed Forces the leader of a platoon is called a platoon commander , on the one hand because a platoon leader has a batch rank in the Austrian Armed Forces and on the other because all leading people are generally called commanders. The United States Marine Corps has another different structure .

Web links

Wiktionary: Zug - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

↑ The number of personnel, for example in the case of independent trains, training trains, technical trains or sub-units of the Bundeswehr with a train structure, may vary significantly.
↑ Section is usually used in infantry, peloton in the tradition of mounted units in mechanized units and the gendarmerie.

[1] The number of personnel, for example in the case of independent trains, training trains, technical trains or sub-units of the Bundeswehr with a train structure, may vary significantly.

[2] Section is usually used in infantry, peloton in the tradition of mounted units in mechanized units and the gendarmerie.